Gynii A. Gilliam

President Coeur d'Alene Area Economic Development CorporationCoeur D'Alene, ID

Gynii joined the Coeur d'Alene Area Economic Development Corporation in March of 2015. She is charged with helping create vital communities in the region by diversifying the economy and helping business create jobs. Since joining Coeur d'Alene Area Economic Development Corporation, she’s been instrumental in building a strong community economic development team that she credits with helping 9 expanding and relocating businesses bring $36M of new capital to the region, along with 500+ new direct jobs and around $15M in new payroll.

She has over 25 years of experience in the field, in both the private and public sectors, from rural communities to urban centers. She served as the Chief Economic Development Officer for the State of Idaho, where her team helped bring over $700 million in capital investment and 3500 new direct jobs to the state over an 18-month period. Prior to joining Coeur d'Alene Area Economic Development Corporation, Gynii had a private consulting firm focused on providing workshops to help “Elected Officials and Stakeholders become Champions for Economic Development.” She has also taught a graduate course in Community and Economic Development as an adjunct professor for Boise State University. Previous work in the state, also includes eastern and central Idaho, where among other things, she helped start a rural distance learning program in central Idaho for nursing students, guided the ED team in recruiting Allstate to eastern Idaho for their 4th regional center, and co-directing the Urban Renewal program for the Pocatello region. She has also worked on successful projects in Los Angeles and Detroit.

Ms. Gilliam holds a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles and studied abroad at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. She was a California State Scholar and the recipient of the Rackham Graduate School Fellowship.

Gynii is involved in local, regional and national boards, including the International Economic Development Council, Inland Northwest Economic Development Partnership and the Idaho State Economic Development Association. She has presented at the National Council of State Governments, the Northwest Food Processors Association, the Pacific Northwest Economic Development Council, and at many other national events. Gynii has two grown boys: Jono an Architect in Los Angeles, California; and Michael, an ER nurse in Boise, Idaho.